The Recession, Associated Press Style

Before there was Twitter to take the nation’s zeitgeist, we (or at least journalists) had the Associated Press stylebook.

Those who subscribe to the online version can opt to get e-mail alerts whenever the stylebook updates a word or phrase.

In November of last year, for example, the stylebook updated “collateralized debt obligations” with a definition. Shortly after, we got definitions for “derivative,” “home equity line of credit,” and “LIBOR.” Even if you were living under a cave you’d have known something was up in our markets, right?

Now AP’s sending out notices that seem to hit a little closer to home. Yesterday’s update? “Carpool.”

(In case you were curious: it’s one word when it’s a verb, but two when it’s a noun.)